How can an Alpha Clone do exploration in Wormhole space?

I played EVE a long time ago and have started playing again now that EVE is free to play. I haven't done any wormhole exploration at all, but it has been something I've been interested in. Everything I've read about playing in Wormholes almost always mentions cloaked ships.

As an Alpha Clone, I don't have access to the Cloaking skill and I'm also limited to Tier 1 frigates, destroyers, and cruisers. (If I were to subscribe, I'd have level 4 Cloaking and access to Covert-Ops cloaks as well as access to several T2 hulls including most covert-ops hulls).

What can I do to help ensure that my explorations in wormhole space are successful as an Alpha Clone? Or is the lack of access to cloaks and other T2 items/hulls simply too large of a burden to overcome?

Solution 1:

Yes, quite easily in fact.

Here are a few key suggestions:

1) Stick only to sites in C1 to C3. In the description of the wormhole, it will say it leads to "dangerous space". You can use higher tier wormholes for traversal, but they don't spawn the sites that are worth it to you. Avoid Unknown Wormholes, there be Drifters.

2) Once there only go to data and relic sites that are named after a known pirate race (ie. Blood Raiders, Sansha, Guristas, Serpentis, etc) do not go to places that say "perimeter" or anything like that as these sites will be guarded by the dangerous Sleepers.

3) Once a site is probed down warp to the site at far range and burn off until you are 150km from the furthest can. Place a bookmark and now you can warp between your bookmark and the cans. This will make it take less time in danger, as well as give you a good warp out point. Also, this is a great practice to get into in general for exploration.

4) As an alpha you have no cloaks, so I say I "disposable" tank my ship, meaning my ship and fitting is SO cheap, even one success can pay for over a dozen mistakes.

5) Finally, it is all about safes and moving around. Try not to be in a place that can be directly warped to, try to keep moving, and realize that there could be someone waiting for you cloaked up. Just be ready for it.

Addendum: btw the sites you run in Wormhole space are actually null sites. If you find a path to null you will find the same sites and have the protection of local. Unfortunately, paths to null are often rare.

Solution 2:

What I do is scan while sitting at a safe, aligned toward another safe, then just warp out if anything warps in on me. That generally alleviates the need for a cloak while scanning.